This invention relates generally to electronic intervalometers, and more particularly to programmable intervalometer circuitry for use in deploying and detonating an array of explosive charges.
Certain military endeavors call for the deployment of an array of underwater explosive charges at a predetermined depth, and sequential detonations of those charges according to a predetermined program. The prior art includes anti-submarine or mine countermining depth charge detonators of at least two types. One that relies on hydrostatic pressure to actuate a mechanical sear to release a firing pin when the charge falls to a predetermined depth, and another that utilizes a timing mechanism or fuze to effect arming followed by detonation at a predetermined interval after dropping, the interval being calculated to result in detonation at a prescribed depth. Those prior art systems, however, are not satisfactory for use where a plurality of cahrges of an explosive array are required to be deployed at an assigned depth and detonated at timed intervals.